Chicago's "Best Underground Filmmaker"...

http://www.keithdukavicius.com/

Courtney Fathom Sell: So You Wanna Be An Underground Filmmaker?...

By Scott Macaulay

When we first formed ASS Studios, a no-budget independent film production company, we didn’t expect to gain much attention from mainstream America. Our catalogue of titles, such as Elf Workout!, an homage to cheesy ’80s workout videos which more of less could be viewed as soft-core porn, The Bitches of Bowery, a celebration of a leather wearing man-hating girl-gang terrorizing the streets of the Lower East Side, and most recently Satan’s BitcheS, an exploration into the dark side of Satan worship through the eyes of two Catholic schoolgirls kidnapped and served up for a ritual sacrifice by stoners named Doobie and Echo, does not exactly promise a prime-time slot. Honestly, the chance to have one of our titles featured on the Lowes Cinema marquee continues to get slimmer quicker than the anorexic junky I once knew in art school. However, we’ve decided to persevere and push on. After all, what do we have to lose other than our overall sanity?

I began ASS Studios with writer and painter Rev Jen, a legendary Lower East Side personality most famous or perhaps infamous for her memoirs Live Nude Elf and Sex Symbol for the Insane, as well as her syndicated local television series Electra Elf, which found her battling monsters and other political tyrants in a pink leotard with the help of her talking Chihuahua fluffer. If that wasn’t enough information to make you fall in love with her, she has been the host of the Anti-Slam for nearly twenty years, profiling the talents and occasional mental illnesses of hundreds of performers in her neighborhood, who are now referred to as “Art Stars” a term used by Rev to describe such talent.

Rev and her troop of Art Stars have been terrorizing the streets of the Lower East Side in an alcoholic haze for years, and it seemed only normal for someone such as me, a chain-smoking, excessive drinking, drug-rattled, no-budget filmmaker obsessed with underground, sleazy movies to collaborate and make art, whether the world wants to see it or not. The point of launching ASS Studios was not to conquer the world, but to simply use our insanity to revive and pump some excitement back into the somewhat seemingly dying underground cinema scene within New York City. Since the passing of No-Wave cinema, it seems New York City has been lacking an overall underground scene of moderate size in comparison to those previous years. Growing up idolizing those films and the overall D.I.Y. manner which I so frequently, if not tiredly, preach, it only made sense to collaborate and work beside the people who have been doing it for so much longer, as they have become wonderful educators to so many in the field of ‘no-budget’ filmmaking. Once Rev and I decided to piece together ASS Studios (Art Star Scene Studios, get it?), 16 or so pints into our first meeting, my official crash course in New York underground filmmaking began. What is detailed below, is a document of my experience as a modern day underground no-budget filmmaker in New York City whilst working beside some of the most legendary underground artists who have outlasted numerous film movements within New York City, though I hate to use terms like that so freely. I never expected the world of underground cinema to be glamorous, but I certainly didn’t expect it to be so fun!

We took to the streets of the Lower East Side, equipped with my trusty Hi8 video camera, a slew of insane performers willing to show off their talents, and sometimes private parts in front of the cracked lens, and countless amount of ideas that would help our film be the craziest they could be. After all, the point of ASS Studios was not to make films that depressed our audience, but instead, make them laugh. In a time of needless war, recessions, and useless politicians leading us to our absolute demise, it was time to make movies entertaining again. Since I became a film school drop out and began making films of my own, I have been inspired by the careers of these Art Stars and their willingness to fight back against the norms of society with their art. They had gone through it all earlier. They had lived in a time when the Lower East Side was actually cheap, they had seen Guiliani take to the streets and force his “Quality of Life” values on the public, and most importantly, had created work in a time where there was a still some danger to be had.

“The Lower East Side was still a bit dangerous in the mid ’90s,” says Rev Jen, “but all my neighbors thought I was a Witch (because I wear prosthetic elf ears) so they left me alone. It was definitely much cheaper then, which meant there were inexpensive spaces that could be used as theaters. It was in those theaters (Collective Unconscious and Surf Reality to name a few) where the Art Stars first started getting together. First we started doing live shows, which evolved into making movies and sometimes cable access television. Having written scripts, I was delighted when Courtney, over our 16th pint, suggested we start a motion picture studio. I believe in following through on even the craziest ideas. That’s why I live in a Troll Museum.”

It became obvious to us even in the earliest stages of development of ASS Studios that money would never be an issue as we would simply make our work no matter what. Safe to say, we didn’t actually have money! The cheaper and tackier the set and costumes, the better! If our actors can’t remember their lines, hell, we’ll just arrange cue cards throughout the set, whether in the frame or not, to help them through the scene. Why can’t they do it if Marlon Brando did? Also, due to the talent of these Art Stars, we did not feel it to be necessary to hold auditions for roles such as Doobie or Echo. Instead we simply decided to cast whoever was available and willing. If they weren’t right for the part, we’d just re-write the screenplay to accommodate their style and look. However, in respect to their talents and our vision, we took every second of each production seriously.

The first order of affairs in piecing together ASS was to shoot a pilot. Though we were not producing a TV series, we understood that in order to gain attention, we needed a short subject that could help raise awareness and perhaps even catch some word of mouth. Our main goal was mostly to create work that would be so outrageous, so over-the-top, and so incredibly cheesy that it could receive a chuckle from Big Chief from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. We began cold calling every Art Star in a five-mile radius of our official office, the nearby dive bar, seeking willing actors for our first project Elf Workout! Sure the project sounds innocent enough, however trying to find serious Actors and performers to dress up in leotards and other skimpy outfits, and direct them to run up and down Orchard street proved harder then expected; Especially since we had not one film to our credit. Luckily, there was Faceboy.

Faceboy really does not need a lengthy explanation within this article, as anyone who has the ability to use Google would be able to complete their own research and realize he too is an absolute legend within the Lower East Side. Faceboy, who happens to be an extremely talented and professionally trained actor, is one of the most dedicated performers I have ever had the opportunity to work with and soon enough, he became the official “Fairy Grant” of ASS Studios. Without Faceboy, it is clear to both Rev and I that our no-budget film company would most likely not succeed. A master of comedic timing, pratfalls, and jumping immediately into every insane character we would write for him without hesitation caused him to become our go-to guy; our face (no pun intended) of ASS Studios.

“Rev Jen and I have been BFF’s and collaborators for over a decade and a half,” says Faceboy. “Despite so many of our beloved little theaters closing, Rev and I continue to make and present our work in any medium available. All of these incredible, multi-talented performers have been giving their time (and flesh) and I love that sometimes we can go from first concept to final cut in less than a day.”

Once we avoided arrest and completed Elf Workout, even trying to make a few bucks in the meantime by selling Rev’s sweaty t-shirt on eBay, we all realized we had something special on our hands. Working with ASS Studios was like working in Hollywood minus the money, big-shot producers, wardrobe trailers, caterers, or even PA’s. Ok, maybe it wasn’t like Hollywood at all. However, what we did have were the streets of the Lower East Side as our set, the ability to shoot an entire feature in one afternoon without any hesitation, an on-going/on-growing tab at the nearby bar, and some of the most dedicated performers in New York. At this rate, we could pump out films faster than Roger Corman! With the success, and by success I mean completion and riotous experiences while shooting of Elf Workout!, which featured Rev hosting a series of sexually explicit work-out moves with a group of her friends, all the while slugging 40′s, smoking cigarettes, and essentially strip-teasing for the camera, we knew it was time for our next project. Our speedy production process helped me invent the term “Crash Cinema”, as if we were all taking a one-day “crash course” on filmmaking. Or perhaps more related to viewing a car crash and not being able to look away. You be the judge.

For a no-budget production company specializing in sleazy, trashy, cheesy cinema, every production promises to be a challenge in various ways. Without a budget you must convince your performers to work for free (something I hate doing, yet with strong trust and honesty, they will most likely want to work with you & hopefully you can compensate them later). Also, without a budget, production costs such as food, press material, beer, drugs, and tapes for the camera become over-draft expenses on your credit card that your friends and family will most likely need to help you pay off in the upcoming months. So why then you may ask, do we do it in the first place? The answer is incredibly simple: we want to make films. The fact that we’ve lost our minds plays to our advantage as well.

From the reaction of Elf Workout! from our stars and friends, we realized that if we were to go through the process of another project, it must promise even more sleaze. So, once again, we gathered up our ASS Studios regulars one afternoon, who now included Rev, Faceboy, burlesque dancers Stormy Leather & Fem Appeal, fire-eater & dancer Reina Terror, and photographer Jason “Jboy” Thompson, and began raising eyebrows, stopping traffic, and creating a massive tourist attraction on Orchard Street when all the girls, now dressed in skimpy leather outfits, taunted gawking ice cream eating construction workers and beat up innocent men on the side of the street who dared to look in their direction. Yes, this was ACTUALLY in the script. At one point, a pizza delivery guy passing by on his bike who didn’t realize we were shooting a movie, began pedaling faster hoping not to be the next prey of the girls.

“I found out later that passersby didn’t realize that we were shooting a video.” Faceboy recalls. “They just let me get my ass kicked, which was great for the video but doesn’t say much for humans. Then again I wouldn’t fuck with the Bowery Bitches either and I already know that most humans suck ass.”

The joy of making “underground films” as I’ve probably stated a million times by now is the fact of not having any restrictions what so ever. I knew I was in good hands however, being in the company of such seasoned veterans of underground cinema, who were already highly experienced in avoiding arrest, sweet talking policemen out of tickets, and doing what it takes to get a film made without permits, money, or professional equipment. Many drinks and cigarettes later, The Bitches of Bowery was wrapped that night. With two films under our belt, ASS Studios was ready to show the world what we had in store.

Our official ASS Studios launch party at Bowery Poetry Club gained perhaps a bit more attention than we expected due to coverage from various local New York based newspapers. When we arrived, there was already a crowd forming outside, which surprised me to no end. Hell, give the people what they want, and if it’s sleaze that they want, give em’ sleaze! What your mother didn’t tell you about “underground film screenings” if she told you anything at all, is that most of the time they either end in arrest, fire, or chaos. As I stated earlier, always expect the unexpected. Throughout the course of the premiere, the crowd, nicely intoxicated at this point, began hollering at the scantily clad girls on the big screen. After the films were done, the audience seemed to want more even though we had nothing left to show them. Soon, obviously chaos broke out when a man jumped on stage and hammered a nail into his penis. The night ended when drunk audience members pulled out stun guns and began zapping unfortunate patrons. Chairs were thrown, beer was spilled, tears were shed and blood was let, making it single-handedly the greatest film screening I had ever been apart of. While some may feel they have completed a great film when their audience cries or laughs at their work, I personally feel that when your film evokes members of the audience to begin self-mutilating themselves on stage, you have officially succeeded. Hell, I felt like nailing a rusty nail through my penis after I saw Paranormal Activity.

I understand that the term “underground film” is difficult to justify when speaking of modern filmmaking and in a time where most any film can be viewed online, however in keeping with the style of original underground films, we have purposely chosen to restrain our work from being self-released online as much as possible, hoping to get people back into the small screening houses and celebrate true independent cinema personally. Let’s face it, the excitement one may feel when becoming an unexpected witness to a stun gun attack or penis nailing is something you don’t usually experience in your own living room! While our main goal for ASS Studios is to entertain the audience, I also hope to further inspire other aspiring filmmakers with this work to take to the streets in order to make their movies! The extremes which we underground filmmakers suffer and live through only add flavor to our work. I have had the immense pleasure of being taught and personally educated from some of the people whose work I have looked up to for so long, and feel honored to have the opportunity to band together with the same individuals to make art and occasionally raise hell. Sure you could go see The Smurfs this weekend, but why not experience something new? Well, maybe not new, but certainly more interactive and even a bit sexy.

P.S. Just a word of advice: If you’re hoping for a romantic getaway with your partner or a proper venue to propose, you might want to avoid attending a screening of The Bitches of Bowery. However, if you chose to ignore this warning, you will most likely get laid anyways! — Courtney Fathom Sell

http://filmmakermagazine.com/author/scott/#.U78n3vldV8E

Essential Camerawork Exercises For Aspiring Filmmakers...

Improving your camerawork skills and, as an indirect benefit, sharpening your ability to get the results you want from your crew quickly — that is what this post is about. I will describe some exercises that you can do to move towards those goals.

As with my editing exercises, all you will need is a camera (any model will do) and a couple of cooperative friends to stand in as actors.

Note: all focal lengths in this post refer to 35mm gauge cameras — in other words, the movie lenses that were used on 35mm motion picture film cameras (remember them?). If you will be using a simple camcorder, please take “short focal length” to mean “wide end of the zoom” and “long focal length” to mean “longer end of the zoom.” Don’t get hung up on that issue, and for heaven’s sake don’t think you need to buy a new camera for these exercises.

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1. Framing close-ups

Pre-requisite knowledge: my suggested best practices on framing close-ups.

Participants: two actors.

Exercise

Take your camera and a friend and practise framing your friend with the following shot sizes:

- Close-up (from halfway down the forehead to just above the shoulders)

- Extreme close-up (from the point halfway between the chin and the lower lip to the point just above the eyebrows).

The key here is that your friend/actor should be talking and also doing something, such as moving objects around on a table.

Your task is to:

- maintain framing while the subject’s face is moving, and

- practise getting good framing quickly. Hence you should be able to disrupt the framing by pointing the camera elsewhere and then re-establish the original framing quickly.

In this exercise it does not matter whether the camera is hand-held or mounted on a tripod — the key here is the development of an instinctive feel for:

(a) what constitutes good framing;

(b) how to set up that framing quickly;

(c) how that framing can be maintained while the subject moves around.

This may seem like a very simple exercise, but practical experience shows that upwards of 95% of filmmakers could benefit from this exercise, whether they appreciate this truth or not. Even the most famous musicians have to keep practising on their instrument; I submit that filmmakers are not above this process.

The above exercise has been a huge success for you if it alerts you to the fact that, like any skill, there is always a lot to discover in the art of framing a good close-up!

2. Close-up of short focal length vs. long focal length – with multiple objects in the background

Participants: three actors

Setup: One actor stands in the foreground and the two actors stand in the BACKGROUND.

Exercise

Frame a close-up of the foreground subject with a lens of short focal length (I suggest 25mm; use the wide end of the zoom if that’s all you have).

The significance of this exercise is that when a subject is framed in close-up with a lens of short focal length, a lot of background is visible — much more background than would be visible if you framed the subject with a longer lens. Hence in this case both background subjects will be visible, they will look small in the frame relative to the foreground subject, and will not be too blurred (of course this depends on the gauge you are using and on how close you get to the foreground subject).

Next, without moving the actors, frame the foreground subject in exactly the same way as you did earlier, but this time with a lens of long focal length – I suggest 135mm. If all you have is a camcorder, simply use the longer end of the zoom (but not at its longest setting).

Now take careful note of the differences between the shots framed with the two lenses. How do the BACKGROUND subjects look now, relative to the foreground subject?

You will notice that the background subjects are now a lot larger in the frame than they looked before, although obviously they will still look somewhat smaller than the foreground subject. You should also notice that they are MORE blurred, because the depth of field is shallower with this focal length.

When you use a lens of short focal length, the foreground dominates over the background: the foreground subject looks significantly larger than the background subjects, and it will also increase in size a lot faster if the camera moves towards it (see Exercise 4 below).

Conversely, when you use a lens of long focal length, it tends to have a compressive visual effect that reduces the difference in size between the foreground and background subjects. This is because using a long focal length forces you to put the camera further away, which results in a proportionately greater reduction in the apparent size of the foreground relative to the background.

The verbally oriented among you will appreciate what that last paragraph means — but regardless of whether you get along well with words or not, all of you should actually DO this exercise in real life and see for yourselves.

3. Framing over-the-shoulder shots with wide and long lenses; maintaining framing as the subjects move

Pre-requisite knowledge: my recommended best practices onframing over-the-shoulder shots.

Participants: two actors.

Exercise

Use a 25mm lens (“wide”) and frame one of your subjects over the shoulder of the other. Use my recommended best practices to start you off, but by all means tweak things and develop your own style.

What do you notice about the relative sizes and visual dominance of the shoulder in the foreground versus the subject in the BACKGROUNDwith this focal length?

Now use a 135mm lens and frame that shot again. You are now confronted with a choice: you either maintain the size of the main subject in the background constant, or you maintain the size of the shoulder in the foreground constant. Either way, this will have consequences for the relative sizes of the two subjects in the frame. How does that change?

Even MORE important question: when would you use one focal length and when would you use the other? How does lens choice affect the mood, texture and the dynamics between the two subjects in this kind of shot?

Practise, experiment, and give careful thought to those questions.

Additional Exercise: Maintaining framing while the subjects move

Frame an over-the-shoulder shot with your friends with a hand-held camera. Instruct them to tell each other a few jokes while they move around. Your task is to maintain good framing while they move.

The footage will be shaky, but the point here is that it will greatly develop your framing skills. Record the footage and study it after the session. Do this more than once! My parents were the bemused subjects when I did this exercise myself. Happy days!

Practise the above exercise for each of following variants:

(a) short distance between the subjects + wide lens (short focal length);

(b) short distance between the subjects + medium lens;

(c) more distance between the subjects + wide lens;

(d) more distance between the subjects + medium lens.

Training significance of this exercise: it will develop your feel for over-the-shoulder shots, enabling you to direct excellent framing quickly and efficiently when shooting a real project. Directors who can shoot high-quality work quickly are highly sought after!

4. Track-in shots with long vs. medium lenses

Participants: one actor.

Exercise

Mount a wide lens (25mm again) on the camera and walk towards the subject, ending on a tight close-up. You might have to follow focus, which is in itself a healthy exercise, even if as a director you will never touch the focus knob on a real shoot.

Like all exercises, you should do this repeatedly. Try different speeds and different angles.

You may also want to give your actors something interesting to do. For example, you might want to start with the actor kneeling down, framed in a wide shot, slowly getting up while you move in, ending on the close-up as the actor stands. Experiment, be creative, enjoy!

Now repeat the exercise with the medium lens — I recommend 85mm.

They are both legitimate track-in shots, but they have very different moods and rhythms.

As you practise these shots with a 25mm and 85mm lenses, give serious thought to when you would prefer one focal length over the other for a track-in shot. For highly skilled filmmakers, this choice is never arbitrary, but is motivated by narrative and visual considerations. You too can learn this special language — if you put in the hours of practice!

Why does a director need to know all this stuff?

The fundamental premise here is that a top-notch film director has total mastery over lenses.

If we accept that premise, it follows that to direct the camera department competently, a filmmaker needs to understand how shots work and how good framing is achieved — and indeed what good framing looks like! The only way to develop these skills is to pick up a camera and experiment.

I appreciate the fact that you are reading my article – I greatly appreciate it — but ultimately you have to do these exercises in real life and train your eyes to see the world cinematically. There is no substitute for the developmental processes of learning and artistic maturation.

Enjoy the learning process, which is in itself a fascinating journey. These exercises will help open your eyes to how movie lenses and cinema really work; you might even catch the filmmaking bug, although I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy 

http://www.lavideofilmmaker.com/filmmaking/essential-camerawork-exercises-aspiring-filmmakers.html

Here's The Gorgeous 72-Minute Trailer For The Longest Movie Ever Made...

By Joe Marine

Nope, you are reading that title correctly. A one hour and 12 minute teaser trailer has been released forAmbiancé, a movie that will run a total of 720 hours (30 days) upon its completion by Swedish artist Anders Weberg. While that running time may seem daunting and insane (and it is), Weberg plans on releasing the full film in the year 2020 on all continents simultaneously, after which it will be destroyed. It will be his last film, and when it is released, it will be the longest movie ever made, and join ultra-long works like The Clock, 24 Hour Psycho, and Pharrell’s recent 24-hour long music video.

While many of you have likely dismissed this idea entirely, the “trailer” is worth a watch, even if you put it on in the BACKGROUND. You can call it artsy fartsy garbage if you’d like (and lots of people will), but there isn’t necessarily some big deeper meaning behind what we’re seeing, even if it means something to the artist (though it does as you can read below). A lot of the imagery is really beautiful, and the mood is somewhere between a dream and what it might feel like if you were inside a melting oil painting.

So with that out of the way, here is MORE on the film (from his blog), followed by the 72 minute trailer (it’s also NSFW in parts):

At this moment 280 hours is finished of the full 720 hours.
Please help me spread the link and I would LOVE to hear your thoughts as well.

6 months ago today my son André took an overdose and died 21 years old. Much of my works over the years has centered around him.
This is for him.

Here’s MORE on the filmmaker and his plan for the full movie:

On December 31, 2020 the Swedish artist Anders Weberg end his 20 plus years relation with the moving image as a means of creative expression. After more than 300 films he puts an end with the premiere of what will be the longest film ever made. Ambiancé is 720 hours long (30 days) and will be shown in its full length on a single occasion syncronised in all the continents of the world and then destroyed.

In the piece Ambiancé space and time is intertwined into a surreal dream-like journey beyond places and is an abstract nonlinear narrative summary of the artist’s time spent with the moving image.

A sort of memoir movie. (Film memoir ). This in the visual expression that is constantly characterized the work throughout the artists career.
As a small tease until the premiere in 2020 shorter teaser/trailers will be presented at different occasions.

2014 – Short teaser which is 72 minutes long and that has the intent to convey the mood and tempo from the full piece.
2016 – The first short trailer with duration 7 hours 20 minutes.
2018 – Longer trailer with duration 72 hours. 
2020 – Release. 

The final film will obviously be something that no one can sit through in one sitting, and it’s not really meant to be. I think the best way to watch work like this is not to be concerned with whether you “get it” or whether you’re missing something. The work is what it is, and if it moves you in some way, great, but if it doesn’t, that does not mean you or the filmmaker are any less worthy of calling yourselves artists. While he could be doing it only for the sake of doing it, the fact that the final piece is a tribute to his son adds another layer completely.

It’s also worth noting some of Weberg’s interesting ideas about creating art (from his bio):

He coined the term Peer-to-peer art or (p2p art) in 2006. Art made for – and only available on – the peer to peer networks. The original artwork is first shared by the artist until one other user has downloaded it. After that the artwork will be available for as long as other users share it. The original file and all the material used to create it are deleted by the artist. ”There’s no original”. 8ix films with a duration between 45 minutes and 12 hours was uploaded on the FILE SHARING networks in one copy and their original was deleted. P2P Art – The aesthetics of ephemerality.

http://nofilmschool.com/2014/07/72-minute-trailer-720-hour-30-day-movie-anders-weberg/#more-84893